"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the majority discovers it can vote itself largess out of the public treasury. After that, the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits with the result the democracy collapses because of the loose fiscal policy ensuing, always to be followed by a dictatorship, then a monarchy."

What if someone's vote weighted more or less in relation to the net total percentage of their income paid out in taxes? That is, if you paid 10% of your income in taxes, your vote weights half the vote of someone who paid 20%.

The following argument will probably get brought up against it:

Q: Wouldn't politicians then change the tax system so that the rich pay the bare minimum and the poor pay nothing, just so that the rich have all the saying? Wouldn't that effectively strip the poor away from their vote?

A: No. Remember that taxpayers can always send the IRS whatever amount they want in excess of their actual taxes owed. People who paid 10% extra in taxes in excess of the 0% they actually owed, for example, would have as strong of a vote as the rich who paid their 10% owed. People choosing to pay taxes because they care? Sounds like a dream come true!

Under this system, the people who pay the price of the decisions being made would be the ones with the largest say in such decisions. It would also promote voter's investment in public policy and a proportional share of the responsibility.